Per A.R.S. §38-431.02, all notices of the public meetings for the Arizona Department of Education can be accessed by clicking the link below. Notices will also be posted outside the State Board of Education Meeting Room on the first floor at 1535 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85007, which is open to the public between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday except legal holidays. Such notices will indicate the date, time, and place of the meeting and will include an agenda.

Empowerment Scholarship Account Program

Eligibility Requirements & Application

2017-2018 ESA Applications

Students can qualify for the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Program under the following categories. These qualifications are based on the most recent legislature and subject to change annually. Click on a category for specific eligibility requirements. Please note that all eligibility requirements must be met to qualify within a category.

Student and Applicant/Legal Guardian are Arizona residents (Proof of Residency document must have been issued within the past 60 days)

Student has MET/Evaluation Report, Individualized Education Program (IEP), or 504 plan that is current at the time of application

Kindergarten additional requirements:

Student is five years of age at September 1st of application year

Student is under six years of age at September 1st of application year

Grades 1-12 additional requirement:

Student attended an Arizona public or charter school for the first 100 days of the prior year, or Student received a School Tuition Organization (STO) for Displaced and Disabled or Lexie’s Law and had 90 membership days (or one semester of enrollment) in the prior year before accepting the scholarship

*MET/Evaluation Reports, IEPs, and 504 plans are provided by either the district of residence or the district of attendance at the request of the Parent.

Student and Applicant/Legal Guardian are Arizona residents with proof of residency issued within 60 days of application date.

Proof of residency documents that are accepted include:

Real Estate Deed

Property Tax

Mortgage Document

Current Utility Bill

Lease or Rental Agreement

Applicant/Legal Guardian is active duty, or dependent of an active (not reserve) duty service member, in either the Marines, Army, Air Force,Navy, or Coast Guard.

If Applicant is not the Active Duty Service Member nor a dependent of the Service Member, then both the Applicant and the Active Duty Service Member must appear on the birth certificate (or other legal documentation).

Applicant/Legal Guardian provides current orders, AND a letter from the Commanding Officer that states all of the following:

Name of service member

Student (and spouse, if applicable) is listed as Dependent

Date of separation

Location of duty station

Current status (must be Active)

Branch

NOTE:

Students with legal guardians killed in the line of duty also qualify under this category. Eligibility requirements are as followed:

Legal Guardian is Legally Blind, Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Student and Applicant/Legal Guardian are Arizona residents (Proof of Residency document must have been issued within the past 60 days)

Student attended an Arizona public or charter school for the first 100 days of the prior year, or Student received a School Tuition Organization (STO) for Displaced and Disabled or Lexie’s Law and had 90 membership days (or one semester of enrollment) in the prior year before accepting the scholarship

NOTE: This requirement is not applicable if Student is entering Kindergarten

Applicant/Legal Guardian is either blind, deaf or hard of hearing, as defined by Arizona Legislature:

Student attended an Arizona public or charter school for the first 100 days of the prior year, or Student received a School Tuition Organization (STO) for Displaced and Disabled or Lexie’s Law and had 90 membership days (or one semester of enrollment) in the prior year before accepting the scholarship

NOTE: This requirement is not applicable if Student is entering Kindergarten

Student attended a D or F rated school (does not need to be the assigned D/F school)

Resides within Indian Reservation

Student and Applicant/Legal Guardian are Arizona residents (Proof of Residency document must have been issued within the past 60 days)

Student attended an Arizona public or charter school for the first 100 days of the prior year, or Student received a School Tuition Organization (STO) for Displaced and Disabled or Lexie’s Law and had 90 membership days (or one semester of enrollment) in the prior year before accepting the scholarship

NOTE: This requirement is not applicable if Student is entering Kindergarten

Applicant/Legal Guardian resides within the boundaries of an Arizona Indian Reservation and provides one of the following forms of documentation (issued within 60 days of application date):

Student and Applicant/Legal Guardian are Arizona residents (Proof of Residency document must have been issued within the past 60 days)

Student attended an Arizona public or charter school for the first 100 days of the prior year, or Student received a School Tuition Organization (STO) for Displaced and Disabled or Lexie’s Law and had 90 membership days (or one semester of enrollment) in the prior year before accepting the scholarship

NOTE: This requirement is not applicable if Student is entering Kindergarten

Student has a sibling in one of the following situations:

Sibling was previously on the ESA Program and funds were spent appropriately;

Sibling is currently on the ESA Program;

Sibling is a qualifying applicant for the current application year and accepts the contract

Birth certificate or court document proving common Legal Guardian (that is also the Applicant)

Student and Applicant/Legal Guardian are Arizona residents (Proof of Residency document must have been issued within the past 60 days)

Student attended an Arizona public or charter school for the first 100 days of the prior year, or Student received a School Tuition Organization (STO) for Displaced and Disabled or Lexie’s Law and had 90 membership days (or one semester of enrollment) in the prior year before accepting the scholarship

NOTE: This requirement is not applicable if Student is entering Kindergarten

Legal court adoption paperwork that specifically states the child is/was “ward of court”. Other legal documentation supplied by the Department of Economic Security (DES) showing plans for permanent adoption may also be acceptable as long as the student is/was “ward of court”.

New Eligibility Update: Several expected changes to the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, including expanded eligibility for students in grades K, 1, 6 and 9, are on hold pending the results of a referendum filed August 8, 2017. Check back for updates.

These students currently attend or are eligible to attend a public school in a Kindergarten program or any grades One, Six, or Nine.

Student and Applicant/Legal Guardian are Arizona residents (Proof of Residency document must have been issued within the past 60 days)

Kindergarten additional requirements:

Student is at least four years of age but not older than seven years of age during the application year

Grades 1-12 additional requirement:

Student attended an Arizona public or charter school for 100 days of the prior year, or Student received a School Tuition Organization (STO) for Displaced and Disabled or Lexie’s Law and had 90 membership days (or one semester of enrollment) in the prior year before accepting the scholarship